Cooling unit



Sept. 13, 1938. J. H. DENNEDY COOLING UNIT Original Filed July 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 13, 1938. J. H. IJENNEDY COOLING UNIT Origihal Filed July 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MW W M Patented SepL 13, 1938 UNITED} STATES 2,130,331 coonmo UNIT James B. Dennedy, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Sunbeam Electric Manufacturing Company,

diana Evansville'lnd. a corporation of In Application July 16.1934, Serial No. 735,371 Renewed February 11, 1938 [10 Claims. (01. 62-126) My invention relates to cooling units for use with refrigerators and especially evaporators for use in domestic refrigerators of the type adapted to receive trays for freezing ice, although some of the features of my invention may be incor,"

porated in cooling units involving a brine circulating system.

One object of my invention is a. cooling unit which includes a shell and refrigerant-carrying tubing so constructed and arranged as to give an effective cooling action but minimizing irregularities of surface conformation whereby 'the unit may easily be cleaned. Another object is a shell and tubing construction for a cooling unit which permits of more .ef-

fective heat conducting contact between the tray and the tubing.

A still further object of my invention isa simplified but effective release for ice trays which have frozen to their supports. I Another object of my invention is an improve shelf and cooling coil therefor to provide local ized refrigeration for a tray received bya shelf in the unit.

Further objects, features and advantages of my invention are set forth in the following description'of specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the left-hand side of a cooling unit ina refrigerator, embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof with the cooling unit door opened; d

Fig. 3 is a plan section taken on the line 3-9-3 of Fig.1; I

.Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail .of-the section of a shell including a corrugation therein and a halfround tubing, as shown in Fig. 3;

iii

Fig. 5 is a. vertical, longitudinal section looking in the same direction as Fig. 1 but taken on the line H of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary,.transverse, vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 looking rearwardiy, and g Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 5 but showing a modification which includes '3 false bottom for supporting the lower my 'e cooling unit here shown is for use in a domestic refrigerator and it constitutes an evaporator for the refrigerant in connection with a compressorecondenser-evaporator mechanical refrigerating system. The unit is a combined freezing and cooling unit, that is, it is adapted to freeze water or desserts in freezing trays contained within the shell of the unit while the exterior of the unit is presented to air convection currents for cooling the interior of the refrigerator box.

The cooling unit designated as a whole by the 5 reference character l0 comprises, in general, a shell ll formed from sheet metal, a header i2 and a plurality of more or less U-shaped lengths of tubing i3 having their ends communicating with the header and received in corugations I 4 in the 10 shell Ii.

The shell H as here shown is made from sheet metal in which are formed spaced parallel cormgations ll of a size and conformation which will snugly receive the semi-cylindrical side of half- 15 round tubing l3, leaving the fiat side of the halfround tubing flush with the lands i5- of the shell.

In assembling the unit, the'lengths of tubing I3 are preferably first held in their relative position and their ends secured through holes l6 in'the 20 opposite sides of the header l2, as best illustrated in Fig. 6, and then the shell sheet i1 with the corrugations I4 preformed therein, is bent about the assembled lengthsof tubing so that the semi-circular sides of the lengths of tubing I3, which are 25 outward, are received in the semi-cylindrical corrugations M as the shell is applied. If' desired, and as here shown,the shell ii may extend beyond the region where the tubing enters the header, beingbent in a quarter-cylindrical shape I! 30- to conform to the cylindrical periphery of the header. The two quarter-cylindrical extensions 7 H at the respective edges of the shell form a butt joint l8 along the top of the header. The

tubing may be held to the shell and the portion 35 I1 held to the header by immersing the unit when assembled in a molten metal bath, and themolten metal entering the spaces between the parts will insure an effective heat conducting contact there-.

between. g 4 The unit, is supported by brackets l9 bolted to the underside of the top wall of the box and welded to the sides of the shell Ii. Liquid refrigerant passing the float valve from the condenser (neither the condenser nor the 45 float valve being here shown) enters the header I! at the. rear through the tube 20. In the form here shown, each length of tubing it forms an independent loop connecting at' its ends with the header; but I contemplate that certain features of 50 my invention may be incorporated in evaporators where the tubing is connected 'in parallel between two headers or where the refrigerant traverses the tubing in series. Gasifled refrigerant evaporated within the evaporator is withdrawn through an 55 exhausting or return tube, II, which extends from the rear wall of'the header and has its intake opening within a trough 2!, the sides of which are so disposed that they constitute baiiles for gasifled refrigerant bubbling up from the tubes it into the header. One end of the trough is supported by a bracket II and the other end by the tube ll. Exteriorly of the header II the tube II is bent downwardly to the bottom of the unit and again upwardly, forming an eye 24 and therebeyond'the tube It extends upwardly through the top of the The box to the intake side of the compressor. purpose of the arrangement forming the return bend is to provide a trap which will avoid complications if the unit is inverted in transit. I contemplate in the embodiment here shown that the" top of-the box, from which the cooling unit is suspended, will carry the condenser and compressor on its upper side; thatop, to ether with the cooling unit, condenser and compressor, being removable as a unit from the box.

The previously mentioned inlet tube It does not extend directly from the expansion valve but first extends forwardly as a horizontally disposed U- vshape Ila on the underside of a shelf 2|. The portion Illa is received in a similarly shaped corrugation 25a impressed from the underside of the shelf 2!. The portion Ila of the tube may be secured to the underside of the shelf II and held in firm heat conducting {contact therewith by insertion in a bath of molten metal. A transverse embosture'llb toward the forward edge of the shelf 2! and of substantially the same height as the embossed corrugation "a, is adapted to support the forward end of the shelf tray 26. Since the tray rests only upon the bead-like upper edges of the embostures Ila and Ilb, the area of contact with the tray is minimised, thereby minimising the area to which the tray can freeze. The.

shelf may be supported within the unit by depending lateral flanges 21 welded or otherwise secured to the side walls of the shelf II. The use of the inlet tube II for refrigerating the shelf II avoids the necessity of shunting some of the U-shaped tubing II between the lateral walls of the shell II at the intermediate height of the shelf. If the latter were done, the sidewalls of theshell above the shelf would have greater refrigeration than the side walls of the shell below the shelf level. The arrangement as shown also permits the use of the same shell and tubing It without any shelf or with two shelves. In the latter instance the shell and tubing remains the same but two shelves fl are provided'and the tubing II is formed into a pair of vertically spaced horizontal loops "a.

Ihave showna trayrelease orliftingiackfor the shelf tray 2', which comprisu a rod ll bent to form a transversely iournaled shaft portion II and a forwardly extending finger or handle portion 80. The shaft portion 2! may be iournaled in bearings formed by clips 8| struck from the 4 body of the shelf II- Intermediate the bearings ii the shaft portion It is oflset to provide a crank 32 which isnormally within pression it formed in the shelf but oh,

the handle portion ll islifted by the fingers the side of the shelf tray and between the tray and the adjacent wall of-the shelf. A similar tray release "a is provided on thebottom wall of the -3.Afreesingtray tray bottom to the tubing.

Myarrangementoftubingandshellgivesa substantially smooth interior surface for the unit which is easily cleaned and lends itself to direct 'heatconducting contact with the tray bottom,

while corrugations on the exterior-present an extended surface area for air convection currents for cooling the box. I

'Whiletherearoftheshell ll may,ifdesired,be closed by a suitable closure plate, I were: to leave it open as shown, the eye loop 24 of tubingeonstituting a back stop for the trays. The front and rear edges of the shell II are conveniently reenforced by return bends II. A door 80 is hinged at lltoonelateralfrontedgeoftheshell ll andis held shut by a friction catch 88 on the other lateral front edge.

I: desired, as indicated in the modification of Fig. 7, a false bottom It may be provided for the bottom tray 34 upon which the tray release Ila is mounted and whicli may have upwardly embossed rib-like portions or plateaus as, for example, like those shown for the shelf for minimising the freezing contact for the bottom of the This trayreleaseis thesubiectofmy divisional patent application, Ser. No. 118,966, flied ber 3, 1936. Y

While I have thus described these specific embodiments of my invention I contemplate that other changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention. a

I claim:

l. A freezing tray receiving unit for a reft'igerating system comprising a sheet metal shell of a generally U-shapedtransverse section, an upper header, and lengths of tubing conforming to the shell with their upper ends extending to the header and communicating therewith,the shell having semi-cylindrical corrugations at longitudinallyspaced intervals andthetubingbeinghalfround in cross-section with it semi-cylindrical side received in the corrugations and its flat sides facing toward the interior of theshell.

2. A freezing tray recdving crating system'comprising asheet metal shell ofa generally U-shaped transverse upper header, and lengths of'tubing conforming totheshellwiththeiruwerends'extmdingto the header and communicating therewith. the shell having semi-cylindrical -at unit for a i ei'iigsection. an

longitudinally spaced intervals being half-round in'croas-section'with its semifcylindrical side received in thescornwations and its flat'sides facing toward th'einterior of the shell. the shell extending inwardly rosn its lateralwallstotheheadertoencloaetopofthe receiving unit for a' refrir. eratingsystemeompriaingasheetmetaishelloyl agenerallyU-shapedtransv'eraeaectiomanupper header, and lengths of tubing conforming to the shell'with their upper aldsextendin'g to the header and communicatingtherewitmtheshell having semi-cylindrical corrugations at longitudinally spaced intervals and the tubing being half-round in cross section with its semi-cylindrical side received in the corrugations and its flat sides facing toward the interior of the shell; the shell extending inwardly from its lateral walls to the header to enclose the top of the unit and the inner edges of the shell extending further inwardlyand conformed to embrace the upper portion of the header.

4. A freezing unit for a refrigerating system comprising a sheet metal shell of a generally U- shaped transverse section, an upper header, and lengths of tubing conforming to the shell with their upper ends extending to the header and communicating therewith, the shell having semicylindrical corrugations at longitudinally spaced intervals and the tubing being half-round in cross-section with its semi-cylindrical side re ceived in the corrugations and its fiat sides facing toward the interior of the shell, and a freezing tray received in the unit with its bottom resting in direct contact with the flat sides of the tubing.

5. A freezing unit for a refrigerating system comprising a sheet metal shell of a generally U-' shaped transverse section, an upper header, and lengths of tubing conforming to the shell with their upper ends extending to the header and communicating'therewith, the shell having semicylindrical corrugations at longitudinally spaced intervals and the tubing being half-round in cross-section with its semi-cylindrical side received in the corrugations and its flat sides facing toward the interior of the shell, and a freezing tray received in the unit with its bottom. resting in direct contact with the flat sides of the tubing and with the bottom wall of the shell intermediate the tubing.

6. A freezing unit for a refrigerating system, comprising an evaporator constructed and arrangedto enclose a tray-receiving opening, a shelf at an intermediate height therein, an upper header for the evaporator, and a length of tubing leading to the header and adapted to be connected with a source of condensed refrigerant,

ranged to define an enclosure for freezing trays,

a lower freezing tray supported by the evaporator at the bottom of the enclosure, a shelf at an intermediate height in the evaporator and above the lower tray, an-upper header for the evapora-' tor. a length of tubing leading to the header and adapted-to be connected with a source of condensed refrigerant, the length of tubing including a reach disposed within the limits of the shelf, substantially in the plane thereof, on the underside thereof, and in heat-conducting contact therewith, and an upper tray having a bottom resting upon the shelf in heat-conducting contact therewith for direct freezing by the said reach, said length of tubing being connected in series with the evaporator whereby refrigerant passes first through the said length of tubing and then through the evaporator.

8. A refrigerated wall for a cooling compartment comprising a metal sheet having a plurality of spaced inwardly facing semi-cylindrical corrugations formed therein and refrigerant-carrying half-round tubing received in the corrugations with the semi-cylindrical side of the tubing fitting the corrugations and in substantial heat conducting contact therewith, and the flat side of the tubing being. substantially flush with the flats therebetween whereby the flats constitute heat radiating surfaces for the tubing, the flats and the flat sides of the tubing being exposed to the interior of the compartment.

9. A cooling unit comprising a freezing tray and a shell formed at least in part by a refrigerated wall comprising a metal sheet having a plurality of spaced inwardly facing semi-cylindrical corrugations formed therein and refrigerantcarrying half-round tubing received in the corrugations with the semi-cylindrical side of the tubing fitting the corrugations and in substantial heat conducting contact therewith, and the flat side of the tubing being substantially flush with the flats therebetween whereby the flats constitute heat radiating surfaces for the tubing, the flats and the flat sides of the tubing being exposed to the interior of the compartment for directly supporting, and for direct heat conducting contact with, the bottom of the freezing tray.

10. A refrigerated wall for a. cooling compartment within the storage compartment of a refrigerator, comprising a. metal sheet having a plurality of spaced inwardly facing semi-cylindrical corrugations formed therein and refrigerant-caring half-round tubing'received in the corrugations with the. semi-cylindrical side of the tubing fitting the corrugations and in substantial heat conducting contact therewith, and the flat side 'of the tubing being substantially flush with the flats 'therebetween, the sheet constituting heat radiating surfaces for the tubing, and the flat sides of the tubing being exposed to the interior 

